This Church Is Going Viral For Its Clever Signs (19 Pics)
Religion has a very different place in people’s lives than barely half a century ago. It used to be commonplace to go to church every Sunday and barely a soul grumbled about it. But nowadays, more and more individuals are acting like Homer Simpson and wondering if it wouldn’t be better to sleep in and stay toasty in bed.
Well, one place that certainly knows how to get the attention of both the faithful and non-believers and make them laugh and think, is Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church in New York. It uses hilarious (and sometimes deep) signs to make comments about religion and the world.
We’ve collected some of the best signs from Wantagh Church, so upvote the ones you enjoyed reading and share ‘em with your pals if you think they’re in need of a chuckle or two. Have you seen any amusing church signs, dear Pandas? What do you think the positive aspects of faith are? Share your opinions with us down below.
In an interview with Bored Panda, Pastor Ron Garner of the Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church explained the inspiration for the witty signs and talked about the role of religion in the 21st century.
“Our church is located on a very busy street in Wantagh. I want to convey to the public that Christianity doesn't have to be staid. I also want to convey to passersby that I believe people who follow Jesus are not called to be apolitical but are called to take social justice issues seriously. We are a small congregation but we have new members who came because of our signs.”
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Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Cannot upvote this more! If you believe in a religion, you can't just ignore it when you want to. i hope ppl that just "participate" in being a christian but dont actually belive it with all their heart can see this post
“I often wonder if religion does have a place in modern society,” mused Pastor Ron. “ I certainly believe that the church of our era has become irrelevant too many. I believe that the church has quit challenging people to live full lives and has become more interested in butts in pews.”
The Pastor continued: “Jesus was a radical Jewish rabbi who challenged followers to live in radically different ways. Although it may not increase Sunday morning attendance, as a Pastor I feel compelled to offer my congregation the challenge of radical discipleship. This requires a focus on issues of social justice that are often absent from the worship or mission of the church.”
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
So true, too true. how much of a change it would be if everyone understood that
According to the Pastor, the Church has made itself ‘irrelevant’ in the West. “The US Church and all churches in the West have sacrificed a compelling message and mission for some vague promise of 'heaven' in some equally nebulous 'afterlife.' People aren't attracted to that message. They want meaning in the 'here and now.' As far of changing this situation I don't have an answer. I can only do what I think provides relevance and a dedication to mission.”
Have you ever heard of a church having an Instagram page? I haven’t before. Well, Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church has one and it’s got 60 followers. I’m willing to bet the church would be even more well-known if it uploaded pictures of its signs to its IG account. A good way to spread some smiles, don’t you think?
The church, founded in 1889, describes itself as a place of worship for believers coming from different Christian denominations. “The Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church is an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ which renews and strengthens its commitment to advocate justice and equality for all people in all areas of society.”
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Two seconds after you write it down. Y 'gotta put the pen down, after all.
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While many of us think of the United States of America as a very religious country, the fact of the matter is, faith is declining in the US. According to The Guardian, Pew Research Center has shown that within the last decade there has been a 12 percent drop in people who identify themselves as Christians.
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
It’s mostly younger Americans who are moving away from the faith of their forefathers. Furthermore, in the last decade, there has been a 17 percent increase in people who say they’re atheist, agnostic, or even “nothing in particular.” Now, around a quarter of all Americans fall into this category.
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church Signs
Fewer people are going to church as well. Those who attend church at least once or twice each month has fallen by 7 percent in the same time period. Attendance has fallen so much that nowadays more Americans say they attend church a few times each year than each month. Obviously, the reasons for this are very complex, but Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church seems to have the right approach to at least draw attention to religious matters.
I wish all churches were like this! I'm not Christian but sometimes I feel like I know more about the bible than the people who use it to spew hate and bigotry
Kaisu, that is probably the case. Many young adults my age are starting to leave the church in droves and leaning into their own spirituality instead. I am sure that a lot of people who spew this hatred and bigotry have never truly read the Bible or any other religious text for that matter, but instead memorize key verses from it that they can twist and use in various situations. Religious zealots from any religion scare me. However, I am glad that this church is reaching out to marginalized communities.
Cherry-picking verses out of context. And they don't read the bible, they learn those verses from someone else, who's after the money in their pockets. Love offering, my ass! Tithing is right up there, too. Extortion is more like it. The church I grew up in had little envelopes with your name on them, supposedly so you wouldn't be embarrassed by those who gave more. But you heard about it if you didn't give what they thought was 'proper'!
"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple, the philosophy is kindness." - Dalai Lama
Question have you read the old testament god can be brutal its not our olace to judge but he can be a swift and brutal judge just saying.
If they spew hate and bigotry, well, I'd say it's obvious how much they know....
If they spew hate and bigotry it sounds like they would know the Bible intimately then
Dunno, judging from half the comments on this site, I conclude you don't need to be part of a religion to spew hate. ♥
Emancipate yourself from the idea of a celestial dictatorship and you've taken the first step to becoming free.
To some people, sure. Others, who have built huge parts of their lives around a religion (often including their entire social circle) would lose a lot before gaining any "freedom". Live your life as you choose, let others live theirs.
You just proved the cynics'point. Social circle, political contacts, money...
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I agree completely with you! I'm confused about why I got downvoted as I agree with Al Jones!
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They’d be gaining freedom either way but they’d also be losing the social aspect of it, which can be important.
You're an atheist, I take it. Let me present you an interesting fact; atheism is a religion. Specifically, a system of beliefs about the purpose and nature of the universe, that may or may not include a god, gods, or god figures. That's 'religion' according to Mirriam-Webster. So, might I suggest that if you want others to respect your belief system, you stop insulting other peoples'. It's just common sense, and good manners.
Imagine losing all your friends, your community and the basis on which you lived your life- all in one go. To me, the overwhelming feeling wouldn't be freedom but loss. Being "emancipated" doesn't always mean being happy. I'd rather be happy.
And if you find religion in a different church, you'll lose all your social contacts, etc. Sounds rather shallow to me. Some sects won't even talk to others because 'they don't believe right'. I won't live like that, and if someone is so narrow-minded to preach it, I wouldn't want that person for a friend anyway.
You are the unfortunate victim of bad theology. My dad was an alcoholic and my faith in a "Heavenly Father" not a celestial tyrant has helped me. I had a professor who said "bad theology is a cruel taskmaster." If faith leads to love joy and peace, from what are we seeking to be "free?' Hopefully none of these. Best wishes Burk
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you're a willing slave to male father figure and you don;t see anything wrong with that, lol
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Did you come up with this or is it a quote from somewhere? It’s nice. Reminds me of Bob Marley “emancipate yourself from mental slavery.”
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Abolish religion? Abolish religion.
That's a bit extreme. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're an atheist- that's fine, I am too. But don't you hate it when someone tries to force their ideas on you? If we abolished religion, it would be the same thing as forcing people to convert to a single religion, even if they didn't believe it. I think it's best to let people practice whatever religion they want, and focus more on abolishing hate towards people of other religions.
Holy shit this is right near where I live. Im going to check it out on the way home from work!
Let us know if there's anything good on the sign :)
I will!
Cool beans! I liked every one of these signs. You can drop in and say "Hey, you're on Bored Panda!"
I like this church.
so what? you still believe that a Jewish zombie who is his own father, and who committed global genocide, is all loving.
@Amberly Middlemiss: So you don't believe in the words written in the Bible? I didn't just make that shit up
Actually, I take it with a large boxcar of salt. It was word of mouth stories, finally written down, one of which is an encounter with a spaceship, by a tribe of people who were usually on the bottom because they lost. This was further winnowed by a bunch of misogynistic assholes out to prove they were the supreme creation of their god; sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. It spends a great deal of time biting itself in the ass. And yes, I've read it cover to cover. Several times.
Let’s see Jewish check. Brought back from the dead check. The holy trinity check. The Ark story check. All makes sense
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as a Christian I can assure you that we believe non of what you just said. Everything in that statement (except being all-loving) is false :)
Wait? So Christians don't believe in the Ark or Easter? Can anyone confirm this update
God doesn’t love anyone because god(s) are fictional.The only thing that the god of the bible loved was himself. He was the epitome of the sin pride and vanity. He demanded constant worship. He demanded human and animal sacrifices. He demanded that you kill the entire neighboring village and their innocent livestock if even one person in that village worships another god. He was boastful, arrogant, wrathful, petty, misogynistic, jealous, genocidal, torturous, twisted, and evil. Why would you think god loves you? He has never hugged you. He has never shown up at your graduation or birthday party. Why does god love you, but he lets some children suffer and die in agonizing, tormenting, excruciating pain? Go to a children’s hospital and talk to the children with bone cancer. Why does god love you and not them? That’s just your ego. The god of the bible supposedly created hell, a place of eternal torture. That’s sickening. God supposedly flooded a world, killing every innocent baby, etc.
In the words of Mark Twain: If Christ were here there is one thing he would not be--a Christian.
I'm an atheist, my parents raised me with science. I have a hard time understanding religion, I don't get how people can even believe in what sounds like wild fantasy to me. But I think it's not worth it to go after this specific church. We should be angry at religious bigots, not religious people who have good intents. Religion might breed ignorance, but these people are not at the root of the problem.
I literally said the same thing as everyone else. Can someone explain what I said that upset everyone?
science is good for understanding the natural world with its interplay of forces, energy and matter. It is a cracked dry cistern when you try to use it for a personal religious philosophy. I hope you will consider bible-based Christianity instead.
But science is based on logic, religion seems alternatively okay with and against logic, I mean a man who is his own father started a religion that he doesn’t even agree with, he was Jewish!
@jknbt Since I can't reply directly to your long and rambling statement about the rapture...I distinctly recall that the Rapture was supposedly happening sometime in the early 2000s, so tough luck dude. You're stuck here with the rest of us.
In the year 999, too.
This comment section gives me anxiety.
LGBTQ+! LGBTQ+!
?
BRAVO to whoever comes up with the sayings, they are top notch.... But how true they are.
“YoU cAnT bE gAy bEcaUse tHen God HaTes YoU” -a Christian wannabe No. God hates no one. Stop the discrimination 😔
People, just don’t drink the koolaid...
These signs are interesting and some are funny! I don't fully agree with all of them and some aren't exactly what you would call ''christianly''. But let me also state that there also does not need to be such spiteful and hateful comments written over such a lighthearted post that was posted for the purpose of entertainment. So frustrating to see people get easily offended over little things. Anyways, Have a great day bored panda posters and people! : )
I don't understand all the comments here that are hostile toward religion. Religion isn't a problem, it's people - and how they corrupt religion's teachings - that are a problem. For example, here in the USA, fundamentalist "Christians" ban books, ban the teaching of evolution, promote the teaching of "intelligent design" (i.e., creationism), promote discrimination against gays, etc. All this in the public sphere, not just in their schools and churches. Truly tragic, considering that Jesus said the two most important laws were to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. And, as evidenced in the parable of The Good Samaritan, your neighbor is every single other person. Further, in The Lord's Prayer, forgiveness of others is one of the tenets that is emphasized.
Religion is a problem when people use it for their own power. The point is, of course, that if religion (the physical entity, not the beliefs) was banned, people would have to find something else to use as a club to get their way. We don't have a state religion (Thank whatever you like) and that bothers some people who want more power and authority than they have.
Truth to Power!
Awesome and unique! A creative pastor who found a very ingenious and pleasant way to "speak" to people's conscience!
I feel like this is using your influence as a pastor to further a political agenda. No one should listen to someone in a pulpit and wonder what they are up to. Political stances divide people and the church is supposed to be a place where burdens and tensions can be let go. I don’t find any of these amusing or helpful.
I was thinking the same thing. This seems more a political action committee than a church. I'm ok with helping the poor and marginalized, but medicaid? People freak out about the religious right using the pulpit to promote a political message. How is this different?
I find them a little amusing. Some are kind of helpful. But, I find fault for different reasons. It seems like a commercial for christianity, moving people away from science and understanding to an immoral fairy tale. Christianity is detrimental. Why aren't there more signs like this promoting science? Science actually works. Science cures diseases. Thank scientists.
And the rest of the pastors, preachers, priests, etc don't? You can't be THAT naive! From Jimmy Swaggert, he of the 'I can't make an official statement from my (televised) pulpit, but if you're asking me what I personally think...') on politics, to the local preacher who wants you to repent if you voted for 'X', the only reason that they're not MORE vocal is that they'd lose their tax-exempt status!
Wow, these are awesome!
I would actually go to that church. They really seem to get the message. Gave me a good feeling reading these.
Wonder what pages of the bible the pastor had to tear out of his bible in order to display his beliefs? Wouldn't want to be a hypocrite!
So many comments based on a flawed reading of Isaiah 45. Let me help: God creates evil by allowing the forces at hand and already at work to take their natural course... He allows evil. He is not the origin of it. He allows evil in order to see what people will do. The same heat that hardens the clay softens the wax, to use a proverb. Some people will turn from evil, repent, get cleaned up, and do good in its place. Some people revel in it. God allowed evil to test people to see what they would do. What have you chosen? The reign of evil will end at the 2nd Coming.
Define 'evil'. Not belonging to the exact church you do? Because some people do; I've met 'em.
So is he the god of good?
Thanks Cassie for letting me post my rather conservative opinions on this very liberal blog...some of your readers are getting a perspective they never hear from their friends & family...a little shocking, sometimes, and definitely rattling some cages...That is good, all cages need a good shake every now & then...P.S...hooray for freedom of speech & a diversity of opinions...
Message for non-christians: Calm down guys. Everyone has their own religion. You can judge us but there's no need to share it in the comment section. Keep it for yourself. You won't do anything good by insulting us and our faith.
A little pompous, aren't you? You feel free to pass judgment on any not your own.
Isaiah 45:7 I create the light and the darkness, I create good and evil, I the lord do all these things. Let's look at this logically. How does god describe himself in the bible? All-powerful (can do anything), all-knowing (knows everything), has a divine plan, is eternal (always existed), is a perfect being, all-good, wrathful, jealous, just, and merciful. First of all a lot of these descriptions contradict each other. You can't be just and merciful, mercy is a suspension of justice. You can't be a perfect being and be wrathful or jealous. If god is eternal (always existed) and he is a perfect being, then he should have been perfectly content and full of self love for an infinite amount of time in the past. Why create anything at all?! From there he creates the angels and at least one angel betrays him. If he is all-knowing and has a divine plan, how could he not see this coming from an infinity away in the past? A perfect being can't create imperfect things.
*can
So they were perfect and god is perfect so can’t god be corrupted, if Adam and Eve were perfect that is
God creates evil by allowing the forces at hand and already at work to take their natural course... He allows evil. He is not the origin of it. He allows evil in order to see what people will do. The same heat that hardens the clay softens the wax, to use a proverb. Some people will turn from evil, repent, get cleaned up, and do good in its place. Some people revel in it. God allowed evil to test people to see what they would do. What have you chosen?
Adam & Eve were perfect. They were seduced of the devil with his half-truths and whole lies. They fell to the state of imperfection that is the common denominator of the human race. You are quoting the half-truths and whole lies commonly used to blame God for the faults, flaws, and sins of humans. Take a look at the 2nd chapter of the little book of James in the N.T. It teaches that God is without spot, blame, blemish, or shadow of turning.
Love this so much, makes me wanna go to this church. I'm an atheist, but I'm sure I can actually learn some things with this guys.
Why were you down voted
I would go to church here
It's wonderful to see messages of inclusion and tolerance coming from an institution (ie organised religion) which is sometimes so exclusive and intolerant. If I ever decide to go to a church, it'll be this one. XOXOX
If Christian's are liberal, then all of their claims about supernatural miracles and the Garden of Eden and Jesus walking on water are true! It's when conservatism is mixed with Christianity that renders it absurd!
COol yeah Lets just add politics into the conversation :/
Ha ha that downvotes on this post
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I love how the comments in this whole article has just turned into people abusing and insulting christians and their faith. (Ironic, as apparently they think we're the hateful ones)
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Being questioned isn’t the same as abuse. Being called “wrong” isn’t an insult.
there are some people here who are only questioning and disagreeing and that's absolutely fine, I'm talking about the comments that are blatantly insulting christians. they're not hard to find if you look
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To all the commenters, Let he who is without sin among you cast the first stone.
one has to believe in sin first, if not you better duck
Amazing comment
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Either way you’re following a book written by MEN thousands of years ago. It’s been translated and heavily edited yet people still swear it’s the truth. I don’t disbelieve in God or a higher power, but I don’t believe in religion. Religion has killed more people than anything else in all of humanity and it still continues to kill people today. It’s a cancer to the world
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So many angry atheists in the comments!
so many defensive deists in the comments!!!!!
At first I was like "where?" And then I read the comments o_o
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Cute, better then the hateful religions, but too bad they still believe in fairy tales.
No hateful religion, only hateful people. You get such hypocrites in every religion, and then there are such good people as well who spread love and positivity. Every religious book, in different languages, tell us the same thing. Only, hypocrites twist them to their benefit. I am a Hindu, and we have many fanatics in Hinduism as well.
Trouble is, in America the Christians are the loudest. And most public. And in potentially dangerous positions. 'Squeaky wheel gets the grease.' It just may not be the grease they want!
I don't know any hateful religions. Can you name a few to educate me?
all of them
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Christianity, Islam. Probably Judaism too, but haven't read thora yet.
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Love it how you condemn "hateful religions" (there are no hateful religions, only hateful people) yet in the same sentence you hate on people for believing in fairy tales. Smells like hypocrisy to me
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Sorry I don't see any hate in that comment.
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I've read the bible yes! Thank you for your concern!
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Where do you see hate? I find it sad, but I don't hate people who believe in fairy tales. What an odd thing to think. Maybe you're projecting? Also, maybe read a bible or koran once, they definitely preach hate. Some followers skip the hateful parts and make up their own religious interpretation, but the religion in itself is hateful.
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Oh for gawds sake. Barf! This headline should read, "Someone found one liberal church in America who puts witty sayings misquoting the Bible to be Politically Correct and we love it". 99% of those sayings are not Biblically sound. Just because the building has the name church in front of it doesn't mean it's theologically sound in it's teaching. Wars, want to be talk about God and war...check out the OT people. This is so tripe. Also, I don't care if you disagree, pound sand.
If they aren't biblically sound then there's something very wrong with the Bible.
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More painful virtue signalling! I expected one of them to say "orange man bad"
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I think they are trying too hard.
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hey Christina Sersif....what about the 74 million babies, all human beings, aborted by atheist and humanists in the USA alone? Doesn't that count in your book? This number is hundreds of times more, no, make that tens of thousands of times more than any killings due to religion. Do the math.
lol, many religious people get abortions. I'd say religion still has the edge in unnecessary deaths historically
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hey Lag, 74 million dead babies is the USA count in 2019...100 million dead babies estimated world-wide. Don't get a stroke with all your cliched raging.
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HEY LAG...people who don't have anything to say always fall back on insults. By your insults, you concede that you have no real arguments left. Rage with all the standard cliche liberal objections if you want, but the bottom line is that 100 million people, humans all, have been killed, MURDERED, in the abortion factories. You defend this because you are an immoral person. You are at the very least complicit, if not an actual murderer. Mothers do not have the right to kill their own children because they are untimely, unplanned, inconvenient, interfere with "priorities" like getting a degree, or are otherwise unwanted.
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nope, won't shut up, Lag.... surveys show that in about one half of one percent of the abortions, the mother's life was in immediate danger and/or the baby had a debilitating disease like anencephaly or missing kidneys where they could not survive a week out of the womb. All states made legal provision for rare exceptions like this. What hypocrisy for you to leap to this objection like it were 90% of the cases and not 0.05% of the cases. Abortion is murder. Murderers will give account for their actions someday, including you. Repent while you can.
Ok, just listen for a second. I know abortions are upsetting. My first response was to be repulsed by them at first. But when a fetus can still be safely aborted it doesn't even have a developed brain yet. It's not even human. It's appendages haven't been formed, it's doesn't think, it doesn't breath, it doesn't even feel. It's something that could possibly DEVELOP into a baby. If that still bothers you that someone's eliminating the POSSIBILITY for a child then you might as well be criticizing people who don't have intercourse at all because they're eliminating the same possibility. I know you're probably just a troll and I'm wasting my time. Oh well.
To be completely fair on the DNA arguement, unless you can photosynthesize and only drink water that's been directly created from hydrogen and oxygen, something is dying so you can live.
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DNA is irrelevant, we share most of our DNA with bananas. Is sperm human too? Eggs? What about human skin?
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the baby is 100% human from point of conception. Have you heard of DNA? You sound like it is a new concept to you. You are the troll for making a cliche argument like this.
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they also no doubt will put up a sign that says "SERVICES AT REGULAR TIMES AS USUAL THIS SUNDAY. NONE OF OUR MEMBERS ARE MISSING" the Sunday after the Rapture....hey liberals who believe that God is so tolerant and inclusive that he will compromise his own personal standards of holiness just to make sure you get in to heaven: you will be shocked how exclusive God is. He is not going to corrupt his own holiness just to tolerate your wickedness. You will be left behind in the soon coming Rapture. Go to church services as usual the next Sunday morning and try to figure out what just happened. Churches like the one portrayed here will be filled with confused upset people wondering how they can still be on earth. And get ready, you will have to go through the "hell on earth" seven year tribulation. If you are still alive when Jesus literally returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation, you can ask him why he is so darn intolerant of sin and those who refuse to repent of sin...
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In the end, booth will go to hell
Well, aren’t you a little bowl of sunshine, rainbows, and cookies. Go take your angry negativity somewhere else.
John Wilkes Booth, lol, you recognize that name don't you? lol
Who is booth and what did booth do? 😜
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See you there
I wish all churches were like this! I'm not Christian but sometimes I feel like I know more about the bible than the people who use it to spew hate and bigotry
Kaisu, that is probably the case. Many young adults my age are starting to leave the church in droves and leaning into their own spirituality instead. I am sure that a lot of people who spew this hatred and bigotry have never truly read the Bible or any other religious text for that matter, but instead memorize key verses from it that they can twist and use in various situations. Religious zealots from any religion scare me. However, I am glad that this church is reaching out to marginalized communities.
Cherry-picking verses out of context. And they don't read the bible, they learn those verses from someone else, who's after the money in their pockets. Love offering, my ass! Tithing is right up there, too. Extortion is more like it. The church I grew up in had little envelopes with your name on them, supposedly so you wouldn't be embarrassed by those who gave more. But you heard about it if you didn't give what they thought was 'proper'!
"This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple, the philosophy is kindness." - Dalai Lama
Question have you read the old testament god can be brutal its not our olace to judge but he can be a swift and brutal judge just saying.
If they spew hate and bigotry, well, I'd say it's obvious how much they know....
If they spew hate and bigotry it sounds like they would know the Bible intimately then
Dunno, judging from half the comments on this site, I conclude you don't need to be part of a religion to spew hate. ♥
Emancipate yourself from the idea of a celestial dictatorship and you've taken the first step to becoming free.
To some people, sure. Others, who have built huge parts of their lives around a religion (often including their entire social circle) would lose a lot before gaining any "freedom". Live your life as you choose, let others live theirs.
You just proved the cynics'point. Social circle, political contacts, money...
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I agree completely with you! I'm confused about why I got downvoted as I agree with Al Jones!
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They’d be gaining freedom either way but they’d also be losing the social aspect of it, which can be important.
You're an atheist, I take it. Let me present you an interesting fact; atheism is a religion. Specifically, a system of beliefs about the purpose and nature of the universe, that may or may not include a god, gods, or god figures. That's 'religion' according to Mirriam-Webster. So, might I suggest that if you want others to respect your belief system, you stop insulting other peoples'. It's just common sense, and good manners.
Imagine losing all your friends, your community and the basis on which you lived your life- all in one go. To me, the overwhelming feeling wouldn't be freedom but loss. Being "emancipated" doesn't always mean being happy. I'd rather be happy.
And if you find religion in a different church, you'll lose all your social contacts, etc. Sounds rather shallow to me. Some sects won't even talk to others because 'they don't believe right'. I won't live like that, and if someone is so narrow-minded to preach it, I wouldn't want that person for a friend anyway.
You are the unfortunate victim of bad theology. My dad was an alcoholic and my faith in a "Heavenly Father" not a celestial tyrant has helped me. I had a professor who said "bad theology is a cruel taskmaster." If faith leads to love joy and peace, from what are we seeking to be "free?' Hopefully none of these. Best wishes Burk
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you're a willing slave to male father figure and you don;t see anything wrong with that, lol
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Did you come up with this or is it a quote from somewhere? It’s nice. Reminds me of Bob Marley “emancipate yourself from mental slavery.”
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Abolish religion? Abolish religion.
That's a bit extreme. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're an atheist- that's fine, I am too. But don't you hate it when someone tries to force their ideas on you? If we abolished religion, it would be the same thing as forcing people to convert to a single religion, even if they didn't believe it. I think it's best to let people practice whatever religion they want, and focus more on abolishing hate towards people of other religions.
Holy shit this is right near where I live. Im going to check it out on the way home from work!
Let us know if there's anything good on the sign :)
I will!
Cool beans! I liked every one of these signs. You can drop in and say "Hey, you're on Bored Panda!"
I like this church.
so what? you still believe that a Jewish zombie who is his own father, and who committed global genocide, is all loving.
@Amberly Middlemiss: So you don't believe in the words written in the Bible? I didn't just make that shit up
Actually, I take it with a large boxcar of salt. It was word of mouth stories, finally written down, one of which is an encounter with a spaceship, by a tribe of people who were usually on the bottom because they lost. This was further winnowed by a bunch of misogynistic assholes out to prove they were the supreme creation of their god; sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. It spends a great deal of time biting itself in the ass. And yes, I've read it cover to cover. Several times.
Let’s see Jewish check. Brought back from the dead check. The holy trinity check. The Ark story check. All makes sense
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as a Christian I can assure you that we believe non of what you just said. Everything in that statement (except being all-loving) is false :)
Wait? So Christians don't believe in the Ark or Easter? Can anyone confirm this update
God doesn’t love anyone because god(s) are fictional.The only thing that the god of the bible loved was himself. He was the epitome of the sin pride and vanity. He demanded constant worship. He demanded human and animal sacrifices. He demanded that you kill the entire neighboring village and their innocent livestock if even one person in that village worships another god. He was boastful, arrogant, wrathful, petty, misogynistic, jealous, genocidal, torturous, twisted, and evil. Why would you think god loves you? He has never hugged you. He has never shown up at your graduation or birthday party. Why does god love you, but he lets some children suffer and die in agonizing, tormenting, excruciating pain? Go to a children’s hospital and talk to the children with bone cancer. Why does god love you and not them? That’s just your ego. The god of the bible supposedly created hell, a place of eternal torture. That’s sickening. God supposedly flooded a world, killing every innocent baby, etc.
In the words of Mark Twain: If Christ were here there is one thing he would not be--a Christian.
I'm an atheist, my parents raised me with science. I have a hard time understanding religion, I don't get how people can even believe in what sounds like wild fantasy to me. But I think it's not worth it to go after this specific church. We should be angry at religious bigots, not religious people who have good intents. Religion might breed ignorance, but these people are not at the root of the problem.
I literally said the same thing as everyone else. Can someone explain what I said that upset everyone?
science is good for understanding the natural world with its interplay of forces, energy and matter. It is a cracked dry cistern when you try to use it for a personal religious philosophy. I hope you will consider bible-based Christianity instead.
But science is based on logic, religion seems alternatively okay with and against logic, I mean a man who is his own father started a religion that he doesn’t even agree with, he was Jewish!
@jknbt Since I can't reply directly to your long and rambling statement about the rapture...I distinctly recall that the Rapture was supposedly happening sometime in the early 2000s, so tough luck dude. You're stuck here with the rest of us.
In the year 999, too.
This comment section gives me anxiety.
LGBTQ+! LGBTQ+!
?
BRAVO to whoever comes up with the sayings, they are top notch.... But how true they are.
“YoU cAnT bE gAy bEcaUse tHen God HaTes YoU” -a Christian wannabe No. God hates no one. Stop the discrimination 😔
People, just don’t drink the koolaid...
These signs are interesting and some are funny! I don't fully agree with all of them and some aren't exactly what you would call ''christianly''. But let me also state that there also does not need to be such spiteful and hateful comments written over such a lighthearted post that was posted for the purpose of entertainment. So frustrating to see people get easily offended over little things. Anyways, Have a great day bored panda posters and people! : )
I don't understand all the comments here that are hostile toward religion. Religion isn't a problem, it's people - and how they corrupt religion's teachings - that are a problem. For example, here in the USA, fundamentalist "Christians" ban books, ban the teaching of evolution, promote the teaching of "intelligent design" (i.e., creationism), promote discrimination against gays, etc. All this in the public sphere, not just in their schools and churches. Truly tragic, considering that Jesus said the two most important laws were to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. And, as evidenced in the parable of The Good Samaritan, your neighbor is every single other person. Further, in The Lord's Prayer, forgiveness of others is one of the tenets that is emphasized.
Religion is a problem when people use it for their own power. The point is, of course, that if religion (the physical entity, not the beliefs) was banned, people would have to find something else to use as a club to get their way. We don't have a state religion (Thank whatever you like) and that bothers some people who want more power and authority than they have.
Truth to Power!
Awesome and unique! A creative pastor who found a very ingenious and pleasant way to "speak" to people's conscience!
I feel like this is using your influence as a pastor to further a political agenda. No one should listen to someone in a pulpit and wonder what they are up to. Political stances divide people and the church is supposed to be a place where burdens and tensions can be let go. I don’t find any of these amusing or helpful.
I was thinking the same thing. This seems more a political action committee than a church. I'm ok with helping the poor and marginalized, but medicaid? People freak out about the religious right using the pulpit to promote a political message. How is this different?
I find them a little amusing. Some are kind of helpful. But, I find fault for different reasons. It seems like a commercial for christianity, moving people away from science and understanding to an immoral fairy tale. Christianity is detrimental. Why aren't there more signs like this promoting science? Science actually works. Science cures diseases. Thank scientists.
And the rest of the pastors, preachers, priests, etc don't? You can't be THAT naive! From Jimmy Swaggert, he of the 'I can't make an official statement from my (televised) pulpit, but if you're asking me what I personally think...') on politics, to the local preacher who wants you to repent if you voted for 'X', the only reason that they're not MORE vocal is that they'd lose their tax-exempt status!
Wow, these are awesome!
I would actually go to that church. They really seem to get the message. Gave me a good feeling reading these.
Wonder what pages of the bible the pastor had to tear out of his bible in order to display his beliefs? Wouldn't want to be a hypocrite!
So many comments based on a flawed reading of Isaiah 45. Let me help: God creates evil by allowing the forces at hand and already at work to take their natural course... He allows evil. He is not the origin of it. He allows evil in order to see what people will do. The same heat that hardens the clay softens the wax, to use a proverb. Some people will turn from evil, repent, get cleaned up, and do good in its place. Some people revel in it. God allowed evil to test people to see what they would do. What have you chosen? The reign of evil will end at the 2nd Coming.
Define 'evil'. Not belonging to the exact church you do? Because some people do; I've met 'em.
So is he the god of good?
Thanks Cassie for letting me post my rather conservative opinions on this very liberal blog...some of your readers are getting a perspective they never hear from their friends & family...a little shocking, sometimes, and definitely rattling some cages...That is good, all cages need a good shake every now & then...P.S...hooray for freedom of speech & a diversity of opinions...
Message for non-christians: Calm down guys. Everyone has their own religion. You can judge us but there's no need to share it in the comment section. Keep it for yourself. You won't do anything good by insulting us and our faith.
A little pompous, aren't you? You feel free to pass judgment on any not your own.
Isaiah 45:7 I create the light and the darkness, I create good and evil, I the lord do all these things. Let's look at this logically. How does god describe himself in the bible? All-powerful (can do anything), all-knowing (knows everything), has a divine plan, is eternal (always existed), is a perfect being, all-good, wrathful, jealous, just, and merciful. First of all a lot of these descriptions contradict each other. You can't be just and merciful, mercy is a suspension of justice. You can't be a perfect being and be wrathful or jealous. If god is eternal (always existed) and he is a perfect being, then he should have been perfectly content and full of self love for an infinite amount of time in the past. Why create anything at all?! From there he creates the angels and at least one angel betrays him. If he is all-knowing and has a divine plan, how could he not see this coming from an infinity away in the past? A perfect being can't create imperfect things.
*can
So they were perfect and god is perfect so can’t god be corrupted, if Adam and Eve were perfect that is
God creates evil by allowing the forces at hand and already at work to take their natural course... He allows evil. He is not the origin of it. He allows evil in order to see what people will do. The same heat that hardens the clay softens the wax, to use a proverb. Some people will turn from evil, repent, get cleaned up, and do good in its place. Some people revel in it. God allowed evil to test people to see what they would do. What have you chosen?
Adam & Eve were perfect. They were seduced of the devil with his half-truths and whole lies. They fell to the state of imperfection that is the common denominator of the human race. You are quoting the half-truths and whole lies commonly used to blame God for the faults, flaws, and sins of humans. Take a look at the 2nd chapter of the little book of James in the N.T. It teaches that God is without spot, blame, blemish, or shadow of turning.
Love this so much, makes me wanna go to this church. I'm an atheist, but I'm sure I can actually learn some things with this guys.
Why were you down voted
I would go to church here
It's wonderful to see messages of inclusion and tolerance coming from an institution (ie organised religion) which is sometimes so exclusive and intolerant. If I ever decide to go to a church, it'll be this one. XOXOX
If Christian's are liberal, then all of their claims about supernatural miracles and the Garden of Eden and Jesus walking on water are true! It's when conservatism is mixed with Christianity that renders it absurd!
COol yeah Lets just add politics into the conversation :/
Ha ha that downvotes on this post
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I love how the comments in this whole article has just turned into people abusing and insulting christians and their faith. (Ironic, as apparently they think we're the hateful ones)
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Being questioned isn’t the same as abuse. Being called “wrong” isn’t an insult.
there are some people here who are only questioning and disagreeing and that's absolutely fine, I'm talking about the comments that are blatantly insulting christians. they're not hard to find if you look
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To all the commenters, Let he who is without sin among you cast the first stone.
one has to believe in sin first, if not you better duck
Amazing comment
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Either way you’re following a book written by MEN thousands of years ago. It’s been translated and heavily edited yet people still swear it’s the truth. I don’t disbelieve in God or a higher power, but I don’t believe in religion. Religion has killed more people than anything else in all of humanity and it still continues to kill people today. It’s a cancer to the world
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So many angry atheists in the comments!
so many defensive deists in the comments!!!!!
At first I was like "where?" And then I read the comments o_o
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Cute, better then the hateful religions, but too bad they still believe in fairy tales.
No hateful religion, only hateful people. You get such hypocrites in every religion, and then there are such good people as well who spread love and positivity. Every religious book, in different languages, tell us the same thing. Only, hypocrites twist them to their benefit. I am a Hindu, and we have many fanatics in Hinduism as well.
Trouble is, in America the Christians are the loudest. And most public. And in potentially dangerous positions. 'Squeaky wheel gets the grease.' It just may not be the grease they want!
I don't know any hateful religions. Can you name a few to educate me?
all of them
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Christianity, Islam. Probably Judaism too, but haven't read thora yet.
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Love it how you condemn "hateful re